The Room We Hide In
by BananaB0mb
Summary: "Once upon a time, a long time ago, before I lost my mind, I was fine, I was good, I was faithful. Now I'm crazy and I'm lost, and I hate you. Because you took it all away." Two-shot.
1. I

**Just an idea that popped into my head.**

**This is all going to be purely headcanon, so take it however you wish. I know there's quite a few stories out there that try to explain Clockwerk's backstory, but I thought I'd take a stab at it. Once again, based heavily on a song I was listening to at the time. The summary is a section of the chorus from the song, that actually inspired this entire idea from me. I need to stop listening to songs like these.**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Sly Cooper and friends. They are owned by SuckerPunch.

* * *

**The Room We Hide In**

* * *

Darkness shrouded the city nestled amongst the sand covered plains. The streets had long since been emptied of people, with most of the citizens now fast asleep in their homes. Wind picked up suddenly, causing many of the palm trees outside to sway lightly in the crisp wind.

A shadow darted from behind one of the low built houses, and hid itself behind a large pot. The bushy ringed tail of the figure swayed behind him in contentment, and a smirk rose on his lips. It was a raccoon, bare from the chest up with a lightweight material tied around his waist. He was on the slimmer side, although the muscles rippling across his arms and chest could describe his body as one of a gymnasts'. It was obvious he was very fit, but not on the strong side.

His bright amber eyes were focused on a distant palace standing black and imposing against the navy blue skies. Idly twirling a pair of hooked canes in his paws, the figure looked back and whispered harshly, "Ameni, hurry up!"

Something stepped up from behind, and another figure quickly followed the ringtailed thief into the shadows. An owl, with dark brown feathers and bright golden eyes kneeled next to the coon. Dressed in much simpler clothing than the raccoon, Ameni was rather larger than his friend, with his wings spanning widely whenever he opened them up. The claws on his feet were also quite imposing, and Ameni knew that he was infinitely stronger than Slytunkhamen, but was not as sneaky.

"You promised not to leave me behind like that." His tone was almost accusatory, earning a small laugh from the raccoon.

"Ameni, you know I would never leave you behind. We are friends, and there is no danger now. Not until we get _there_." He pointed one of his tools at the palace still a ways from their position, and smirked.

The owl fixed his friend with a hard look. "Slytunkhamen, you understand that this will be risky."

"Of course," the raccoon replied. "There would be no fun if there was not."

Ameni rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Okay, let us continue."

The two crouched low to the ground, and began the long trek to the palace. They avoided any sort of guards they encountered, having promised themselves that they wouldn't draw attention tonight. No, this was purely a get in, get out plan as their current target was simply an urn owned by a corrupt Pharaoh. Said Pharaoh had been terrorizing most of the citizens living in the large city, and had grown greedy over his possessions. Slytunkhamen and Ameni were here to show the greedy man that not everybody would stand for it. Surely, once the Pharaoh saw that one of his prized goods were gone, he would realize that his riches could not be held forever. Ameni paused when he noticed that his companion had hooked one of his tools to a low hanging branch to swing himself up without a word. Sighing, the owl launched himself into the air without a second thought, his large wings making nary a sound in the silent night. He landed next to Slytunkhamen crouched on a branch, and the two watched as a tall canine walked by with a bladed weapon in paw. Once the guard passed, the two thieves leapt from their position and began running towards a hidden entrance that they'd found during the day.

As much as the Pharaoh was greedy, he also enjoyed showing off his possessions, and the palace was open for regular people to walk through. This had worked perfectly to the duo's advantage, as they could mill about the palace without raising any suspicions.

Slytunkhamen was the first to sneak forward, and he used his canes to pry open the wooden door. They'd found a weakness in the boards, and it only took just a bit of strength to get it pried open.

Once that was done, the raccoon waved Ameni over, and the owl quickly followed the ringed tail as Slytunkhamen dashed into the darkness. They crawled quietly, but quickly through the darkness. It was cold in the tunnel, but eventually they were both coming towards the end, where another door blocked their only way in. The raccoon pressed an ear to the door and looked back at his partner. Ameni's mouth thinned into a line and he cocked a brow at Slytunkhamen, wondering why they were stopped.

Eventually a wide grin crossed Slytunkhamen's face, and he whispered, "wait here Ameni. I will show you something new."

Confused, the owl didn't protest. He knew that doing so was foolish, as the raccoon had much more experienced in stealing than himself. The two had been friends for a long time, but it was only a few years ago that Ameni had finally agreed to helping his friend to take from the corrupt and evil. Blending into the shadows as though he was being dipped in dark paint, the tall owl watched as the raccoon opened the door silently and snuck outwards into the hallway.

Despite wanting to remain hidden, Ameni crept forward and watched to see Slytunkhamen sneaking up behind a guard. He was crouched low to the ground, his sandals making no noise on the ground below.

Another breeze floated in through the opened door, and much to Ameni's astonishment, the raccoon disappeared right before his eyes. He blinked, not even sure if what he saw had been real, but soon enough the muffled grunt and thud of a body hitting the floor had Ameni shaking his head, knowing it was real. It seemed as though Slytunkhamen had many more tricks up his sleeves than he'd first imagined.

Returning with a canine guard dragging limply behind him, Slytunkhamen dumped the guard in the tunnel with a smirk.

"What do you think?" he boasted while pointing one of his canes at the unconscious guard.

Not one to let his true emotions be shown, Amenia shrugged indifferently. "It was certainly interesting to see."

Slytunkhamen rolled his eyes and hefted one of the canes on his shoulder." Perhaps you're envious of my skills. Regardless, let us keep going There are no other guards outside, and the urn seems to not be as protected as we first thought."

Nodding without a word, the large owl followed his thieving friend into the darkened hallway. A few torches were lit against columns, throwing crazy shadows every which way. For a moment, Ameni was sure he saw a shadow dart behind a large column, but when he stared, he saw nothing else stir. Surely he was just being overly paranoid tonight. Ameni had not uttered a word to his friend, but the owl felt something in the pit of his stomach that assured him something could go wrong.

It was too quiet in the hallway, and yet Slytunkhamen seemed indifferent to it.

If anything, he seemed bored and annoyed.

"I expected much more than this," the raccoon called back to his owl companion. When he saw that Ameni had fallen behind, he frowned. "Ameni, this is no time to lag. As much fun as it would be to have guards on our tails, we agreed to be in and out quickly."

Ameni shook himself and quickly followed behind Slytunkhamen. However, the feeling of being watched never left him. After another shudder ran up his spine, the owl whispered back, "I feel eyes upon us."

The frown atop Slytunkhamen's face deepened and he glanced behind Ameni. A few curtains that had been draped across the extravagant hallway fluttered lightly in the wind, and his sharp eyes caught a small mouse scurry across. Chuckling, he reached up and patted Ameni's back.

"Perhaps your old age is catching up to you, old friend."

"I am not that much older than you."

"7 years is quite a difference, Ameni. Now quiet, we are nearing the urn, and there may be guards there for all we know." Even as he said this, Ameni caught the smirk and glee that lit up the raccoon's eye, and he heaved a sigh. Surely this meant that even if they didn't encounter any guards, Slytunkhamen was going to do what he could to get the attention of them. The owl was more than prepared to run, but even then, shivers still ran up his spine. He shook them off, and continued to follow the raccoon down the hallway.

Soon enough, they were stepping into a large room in the back of the palace where countless artefacts adorned the walls and several pedestals. Ignoring some of the less extravagant ones, Slytunkhamen slunk his way towards the urn in question. It was only about the size of large egg, with painted hieroglyphics across its surface. Bright jewels sparkled in the light from the torches, and some of the golden accents across the lid and handles brought all attention to it. This was one of the most esteemed possessions the Pharaoh owned, and the two were here to take it from right under his nose.

The raccoon approached and smirked lightly. "It is beautiful, is it not?"

Ameni just barely caught the words, his nerves working in overdrive. He continued to throw his gaze around, to try and catch any forms of guard or deception.

"Of course," he mumbled back in a distracted manner. Slytunkhamen rolled his eyes in exasperation but decided to just get the urn and get out. He carefully strapped his canes at his hips, and reached a paw forward. He went slowly as to make sure no traps had been attached to it. Once his paw closed upon one of the handles, he paused and let his ears perk up to hear anything else in the still room.

The owl looked back to see that Slytunkhamen had his paw on the urn. Letting out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding, he stopped his lookout on the room and watched as the raccoon carefully set it off its pedestal.

A low laugh escaped the thief, and he grinned back at his friend. "I told you this would be an easy task, my friend. Now let us-"

His words died in his throat when a loud whistling noise cut through the air.

Ameni's eyes widened and he moved from his place, just in time to see an arrow fly past where he'd been standing. From the height of it, the arrow had been aimed straight at his heart. Even Slytunkhamen looked surprised, and soon enough there was a loud crash when the raccoon flipped from where he'd been standing when a blade flew towards where he'd been. The urn he'd been holding in paw fell to the floor, breaking into thousands of shards, but his mind was focused on other matters.

Turning to hook a guard under his chin, Ameni's wings were a flurry of movement and feathers. He was like a deadly whirlwind, as his wings managed to clip and send many guards flying away to crash into various displays. Shouts and the loud thudding of feet against the marbled ground had Ameni gritting his teeth.

It seemed like his instincts had been correct.

This had all been a trap.

His eyes caught Slytunkhamen running at a guard and swinging one of his canes towards the skunk's head. When the guard crumpled to the ground, the raccoon crouched as an arrow flew right above his head. Eyes wide, Slytunkhamen's eyes locked with Ameni's, and he shouted over the cries and shouts, "Ameni! _Run!_"

Once again, before the owl's eyes, Slytunkhamen's figure melted out of sight. Ameni cursed and threw himself forward with his wings held before his head. The guards who'd been trying to tackle him to the ground, fell before the owl in scattered heaps. Desperately, Ameni ran towards the entrance of the room, hearing a few grunts and thuds from behind. He wasn't sure what they were from, but his focus was solely on the small window opportunity before him.

More whistles from behind had him changing his course and barely avoiding more arrows. As soon as his clawed foot stepped outside into the hallway, he knew he was close to freedom. The wings he'd been holding in front of him, now opened wide and just as he tensed his feet to push off, something akin to a blade pierced his wings.

Someone yelled in pain, and he vaguely realized it was himself.

His body thudding to the ground, Ameni tried to pull himself forward to escape. The pain in his wings and his shoulder were unbearable, and he could vaguely hear the guards who'd just attacked him grow closer. The owl felt his strength beginning to trickle out of his body, like water from a broken vase. His eyes grew heavy, and he shouted again when a blade nailed one of his wings to the ground. The burning pain in his body began to take over, and just as he lifted his head, something heavy crashed into the side of it.

It was like he'd been suddenly dunked underwater, with the way all of the voices before him became garbled and morphed into incoherent rumbles. His vision began to blacken at the edges, and he heard something akin to his name being shouted, before welcoming the cooling darkness before him.

* * *

Ameni swallowed what little moisture he had in his mouth.

It had to have been days now that he'd been put in this cell. His wings had been clipped and he was chained to the wall without so much as a chance to escape. An ache in the wounds he'd sustained from attempt at escape kept him from getting any sort of peace in the dark and arid cell. He was tired, and the effects of not being given food or water was beginning to run its course. Groaning, he squeezed his eyes shut trying to escape into his mind. His thoughts were wild, each one being much more gruesome than the last. As much as he tried to think of something positive, Ameni was beginning to lose hope. There had been no whisper or sighting of his raccoon friend coming to help, and the owl thought that perhaps Slytunkhamen never would.

A bitterness was beginning to grow in his chest, and the owl reopened his eyes in the dank cell.

_Slytunkhamen… How could you leave me like that._

The memories from that night replayed in his mind over and over again, and Ameni started to see everything in a new light. That raccoon never thought of anyone but himself, and although the owl had known that deep inside, this incident was throwing the fact into light more and more. The time he'd spent in the cell had brought Ameni to a realization he wouldn't have come to without the time to dwell in his mind.

Slytunkhamen was a traitor.

That thought was enough to poison what little hope he had left. His friend - the one who had always promised they would stick together - had abandoned him for the guards, and now Ameni was the one suffering for crimes he hadn't committed.

Of course, he knew he was partly at fault for letting his own thoughts delude him into thinking that Slytunkhamen would bring the owl glory that he hadn't thought he'd ever had. Ameni had been weak and trying to find an escape into something more glorious than he'd ever imagined. The idea that he could be rich, and perhaps even have a family had been too grand for Ameni to ignore, and he thought bitterly to himself, _this was what _he_ wanted all along._

When he closed his eyes once more, he found himself falling into a familiar memory.

_Neb-anu smiled kindly up at Ameni, and placed a feathered wing on his cheek. A shiver ran down his spine, and the owl smiled with the same warmth she had shown him. Her silver eyes were bright almost like two polished stones, and her feathers were plush, colored a beautiful dark sienna. The gorgeous hawk had sharp features, and yet her kindness softened any harshness in her looks. Ameni was able to look past it all, and see Neb-anu for the goddess she really was. Said idea would have sent many reeling - if Ameni had dared speak it - but the owl didn't care._

_Neb-anu was beautiful, and she was his, and his alone. _

"_Ameni…" she cooed softly. While she lay her head against his chest, he drew his beautiful wife closer, relishing in her warmth. Even on the coldest of nights, she was able to chase any chill away, and Ameni knew that if she were to disappear one day, he would not be able to live. He would surely go crazy from grief and would eventually take his own life in order to be with her._

"_I have missed this," she whispered. Her warm breath against his bare chest brought shudders throughout his body. "This moment where we are together…"_

"_It is a nice moment," he muttered in agreement. A slight smile tugged at his lips, and he said, "I love you."_

_Neb-anu straightened, her arms resting against his shoulders. For a moment, he drank in every feature, from the dark hair cascading down her shoulders, to the snow white cloth clinging to her every curve. Despite the tender moment they were sharing, Ameni had to admit that something much more primal began to rise in him._

_A giggle escaped from her and she leaned upwards slowly. "I love you too."_

_The distance closed between the two…_

"Wake up, traitor!"

Ice cold water splashed suddenly atop Ameni's head and he spluttered in shock. Shaking the water from his drenched head, he blinked up at the canine guard who had first thrown him into the cell now standing before him. An empty dish was clenched in the guard's paw, and a sneer crossed his thin features. "Welcome to the waking world, friend."

Ameni said not a word, biting down on his tongue. He was afraid if he said anything, that they would use it as an excuse to punish him much worse than just a simple execution. The owl knew he was going to die today, but he sorely wished that he had been able to see his wife once more…

"No words?" the guard demanded, looking rather unsatisfied. When silence met his question, the canine lunged forward and gripped Ameni's throat. Choking, the owl's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets as he was forced to stare straight into the canine's narrowed green eyes. "Well, that is fine with me. We have a surprise for you."

Once he was let go, Ameni coughed and squinted up. "W-what?" he finally croaked out, his curiosity getting the best of him.

The guard spun around. Another cruel grin crossed his features. "You heard me, no? I am sure you will appreciate it."

With that said, the guard strode towards the door he'd just entered, called out for someone and then stalked back. Just as the canine stood himself off to the side, two other guards, one a skunk, the other a fox, walked in, with struggling figure held between them.

Ameni's eyes widened at the sight, and he struggled against the chains holding him back, screaming. "No! Not her! _Please!_"

Neb-anu, the love of his life, now kneeled between the two guards, her eyes wide and terrified. She looked as though she'd fought tooth and claw against the guards, with her hair disheveled and her dressed ripped and dirtied in several places. What really set Ameni's blood boiling in fury, was to see that the guards had bruised and bloodied her face and body. Crimson spots spilled across her white dress, and her feathers were matted in several places.

"Ameni," she sobbed. Tears filled her eyes. "W-what is happening?"

The owl could feel his own emotions choke his throat, and he managed to gasp out, "it will be okay, Neb-anu! Do not worry, I will get you out of this!"

A relieved smile spread across her face until the skunk slapped a paw against Neb-anu's face, making her cry out in pain. Blood trickled down past her beak and she sobbed loudly, absolutely petrified. The fox guard chuckled, and crouched down in front of Neb-anu, and clutched her face in his paws. She gasped and struggled to lift herself away from his grip, but the fox's paw was firm. Ameni continued to struggle against his chains, yelling for them to stop whatever it was they were going to do.

The owl could barely see past the red in his vision, as his anger and fear for the woman he loved, began to cloud his judgment. He knew that if he got out of his bonds, that he would rip these guards to shreds for daring to lay a paw upon Neb-anu. A punch to his gut had Ameni gasping and sagging against the chains on his wings and legs.

"Be silent," the canine growled from his position. He turned a sharp glare towards the other guards and said, "do what you came here to do."

They two nodded, and the skunk pulled a knife from his side, causing Neb-anu's breathing to hitch in fear. Her silver eyes widened and she struggled to escape from the men but they were able to easily overpower her. Ameni watched in horror, tears now spilling from his eyes, as the skunk grabbed the female's hair and ripped her head back so that her quivering neck was exposed. The blade the man held eased silently towards her jugular, in a way that both of the birds knew would easily end her life with one movement. For some reason, Neb-anu seemed to accept her fate and although she was crying, she locked her eyes with her husband. What could only be described as affection and love glowed from deep within her eyes.

He watched, helpless, as she swallowed loudly, and sobbed out to him one last time, "A-Ameni… I-I love yo-"

Her words died on her tongue, as the blade began its swift track across her throat. She gargled, choking on her own blood, before the light began to fade from her eyes and the two guards let her limp body slump to the floor.

Blood began to pump sluggishly from the wound, as she tried weakly to stop the flow. But soon her wings began to fall limp, and she locked eyes with him again, tears still leaking from her eyes. She mouthed something to him, but Ameni was so distraught with grief, he was unable to discern what she said.

Soon enough, the light left her eyes, and he knew she was gone.

Tears spilled from Ameni's eyes as he simply watched her body, ignoring the jeering from the guards in the room. Their mocking voices fell on deaf ears, his eyes drawn only to his wife. Even in death, she looked immensely beautiful to him…

"Neb-anu?" his voice came out hoarsely in the dim cell.

She didn't answer.

More tears blurred his vision, as Ameni tried to reach forward to hold her body to him. The chains he was bound back by prevented him from doing so, and he let out a howl of grief for everyone to hear. He sobbed pitifully. "Neb-anu… Neb-anu…"

He continued to repeat her name as though he believed it would bring her back. Everything had now gone wrong. Slykunkhamen had betrayed him. Neb-anu was now gone from the world. He was surely to be next. Although, Ameni started to laugh when he realized that this was perfect. If the guards went through with it, he could be with his wife again. And he was perfectly fine with that. Still laughing, he urged the guards to do the deed now and end his life. There was nothing he could possibly stay here for any longer.

Lost in his grief and thoughts, Ameni was unable to hear when the guards all shouted out in a panic, and then the loud thuds of their bodies hitting the ground.

"Ameni?"

The voice that sounded from in front of him froze the owl in place.

He couldn't believe it.

Why would _he_ be here of all places?

A growl resounded from his throat, and Ameni lifted his head, glaring. "You…"

Slytunkhamen looked sickened at the scene before him, and he stepped forward cautiously. His sandals shifted apart the packed dirt under his foot as the raccoon reached a paw forward in comfort. "Ameni… I am so sorry. I tried to come as soon as-"

"Why are you here?" Ameni demanded. His grief was being erased by fury, and it was beginning to build. That feeling from before was now starting to rise again in his heart. His sight began to cloud over from it. He couldn't quite yet put his finger on it, but the more he hurled a heated glare at the raccoon before him, the more it was starting to become clearer to him.

"_You_ are the reason this happened!"

The raccoon's face looked stricken at the accusing tone. "Ameni, I did not mean for this to happen! I am sorry you were captured, and I am sorry that your wife was caught in the middle of it, but I swear upon Atum that I did what I could to save Neb-anu!"

"_**DO NOT SAY HER NAME!**_" Ameni bellowed. His voice reached octaves not previously known, and the raccoon recoiled, covering his sensitive ears from the screech. "_**YOU DO NOT KNOW THE PAIN I AM SUFFERING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF YOUR FOOLISHNESS!**_"

"Ame-"

"_**BE SILENT!**_" Ameni's mind was reeling, and he was finally able to discern exactly what it was that was clouding his judgment so.

_Hate._

Slytunkhamen stepped back further, and glanced down at Neb-anu's still body. Her blood had drenched the dirt under his sandals and he felt like he was going to be sick. Combined with the icy stare from his once friend, the raccoon could honestly feel like his life was in danger. There was something burning deep within Ameni's eyes and it made the fur on Slytunkhamen's neck stand up and his tail twitch in a panic behind him. Although Slytunkhamen was prepared to unchain the owl, he was afraid to do so.

Something inside told him, that if Ameni was allowed free, the owl would not hesitate in killing the thief.

Ameni continued to rant, now shouting whatever came to mind. His logical side was now lost to his emotions, and his eyes held a wild light to them that had the raccoon backing off even further with wide eyes.

"_**ALL OF THIS IS YOUR FAULT! DO NOT COME NEAR ME! DO NOT UTTER MY NAME! DO NOT THINK I WILL EVER FORGIVE YOU, SLYTUNKHAMEN. FROM NOW UNTIL I **_DIE_**, YOU WILL BE THE ONE I HATE!**_"

Unable to think of anything else to say, Slytunkhamen managed to push out past numb lips, "I am sorry…"

"_**I WILL NOT HEAR YOUR HOLLOW APOLOGIES! GET OUT OF MY SIGHT BEFORE I BREAK THESE BONDS AND **_KILL _**YOU!**_"

The raccoon's eyes closed in pain, as he knew he couldn't understand what Ameni was going through. After all, Slytunkhamen still had his own wife at home, and even now he was thinking of her. The chains holding back the owl were now beginning to groan, as the strength in Ameni's body proved to be much more than they could manage. The shouted curses and venom now fell on deaf ears, and Slytunkhamen knew that this was over. The friendship he'd shared with Ameni had been a long and gruelling one, as the two had met when they were both very young. The raccoon could remember the very first time the two had met. After they had both lost their parents to disease, the two had become close and were nigh inseparable. The duo had been through thick and thin, and even with those moments of disagreements between them, their brotherly bond had been strong enough to withhold against most twists life threw at them.

Now though...

Sighing softly, Slytunkhamen looked down at the key in his paw, and knew that this was not how he'd wanted everything to go for the poor owl.

When he tossed the key at Ameni's feet, he stepped away from the foaming mouth, wild eyes, and fluffed up feathers all across the owl's form. Even now, the golden eyes Slytunkhamen knew had always held compassion, care, and at a few odd instances, anger, were now alit with flames of hatred.

Slytunkhamen knew that these fires would never burn out, and that he would never be forgiven for what had happened. And even now, the raccoon could say he blamed himself. Turning away, Slytunkhamen said one last thing before leaving.

"Ameni, I hope that one day you will find it in your heart to forgive me for what has happened."

The hissed word had Slytunkhamen's chest tightening, and his stomach twisting painfully.

"_**Never**_."

Even as he walked out, taking one last look back at the prone owl, Slytunkhamen felt regret, pity, and even a sense of his own anger at Ameni. He knew it was unwarranted, but the raccoon really had tried what he could to save both Ameni and Neb-anu. Finally, turning his back firmly on his friend, Slytunkhamen left, knowing full well that this would not be the last time he ever saw Ameni again.

But the next time they met, they would be enemies.

Left alone, Ameni sagged against the bonds holding him back, and focused his gaze back on the prone body of his wife. The grief he'd felt in his body had now faded away, and all he could feel was a burning hatred. And that was more than enough to fuel him to move again, and reach a clawed foot out for the key Slytunkhamen had left.

He rambled to himself as he brought his foot forward and began the arduous task of trying to unlock himself. Soon enough, his ranting delved into barking laughs.

"That foolish man," Ameni chuckled softly. The chains finally fell from his wrists, and he stood from his position. As he knelt and took a hold of his wife's body, he held her close. Neb-anu's head lolled against his chest her eyes still opened. He reached a feathered hand forward and closed them, so that she would only look like she were only sleep. While carrying her in his arms, Ameni limped outside, squinting slightly in the bright sunlight, but kept going. It was unsure just where he was going, but Ameni continued his way forward, towards the outskirts of town into the desert.

"You run from the inevitable, Slytunkhamen… For I will be the one who will crush you under my claws…"

* * *

**Certainly not my best work, but I just wanted to get this out here. It's been sitting in my hard drive for a few months now. Again, like I said before, this is all purely head canon, so I highly doubt this is exactly what happened, but Clockwerk certainly does leave a lot to the imagination in terms of what started his vendetta against the Cooper line. This is just my own interpretation of it.**

**And just for fun, Ameni means: **"the self-existing one."

**Certainly appropriate, I hope.**

**Let me know what you all think!**


	2. II

**So. Another mini idea popped into my head, and I decided to go ahead and write it out before it was lost to dredges of my mind. It's not superbly great, but hey. It's mostly to satisfy one specific reviewer who said they wanted to read more, so here we are. **

**Thanks to **RiverProphecy** for encouraging another part. This will likely be the last part though, so I don't think there'll be anything after. Also, a thanks to **Mitch**, who's been reviewing every story I upload since joining the site. Thanks, man! But regardless, this was still rather fun to write. So I hope you all enjoy reading it as well! **

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Sly Cooper and friends. They are owned by SuckerPunch.

* * *

**The Room We Hide In II**

* * *

**7 years later…**

Only the sound of his panting echoed through the raccoon's ears, making the thief clench his teeth tighter, and desperately pump his legs faster. The tall reeds he was running through, whipped across his cheeks, arms, and bare chest, but he ignored the slight tickling sensation. They felt like fingers trying to hold him back, but he fought against them with his arms. His sandals kept slipping on the hot mud underneath him, water splashing all around him. He'd been rowing through the Nile, coming home from fishing for dinner, when something had caught his sights far off on the coast. The very sight of it had spurred him into the panic he was in now.

His nose now caught the acrid scent of smoke coming from somewhere in front of him, although he hoped beyond hope that it wasn't originating from what he suspected. The breeze blowing soundlessly through the reeds also brought another scent with it, making his lungs constrict, and freeze over, even in the overbearing humidity.

_Blood._

Slytunkhamen, now a much older and wiser man, dashed out of the reeds he'd been running through, and stumbled to the ground. But he pushed himself off the dirt, and continued on his course. His body was now exhausted, clunky, and nearly unresponsive, and it was only by pure sheer will that he kept running.

This could not be happening.

It had been years since the incident with Ameni had occurred, and the raccoon had fled the city they'd lived in with his wife, in an attempt to avoid any sort of confrontation with the owl. Something in his heart had made him fearful of another meeting with Ameni.

Mostly, it stemmed from the way the owl had sworn to kill him. And he was afraid that Ameni would stay true to his word.

Ameni always did.

His lungs were starting to hurt from his running, but Slytunkhamen pushed himself further. The smell of smoke and blood was overpowering, making him gag slightly as he finally reached the outskirts of the town he now lived in. Screams were now starting to creep their way into his ears, the appendages ticking as he frantically looked around at the chaos surrounding him. How did he not hear this all before?

The once proud town was now in shambles, buildings going up in fire, and smoke, while screams from inside them told Slytunkhamen of the people trapped inside. The smell of burnt fur, flesh, and blood had him covering his nose to stop himself from being sick, but even then, his stomach churned at seeing what lay before him. Bodies of several sorts, both young, and old, lay in scattered heaps across the ground, and even as he watched numbly, several people fled past him into the desert. He barely caught them screaming of the horrid beast who swooped down from the heavens themselves to deliver punishment to them.

The breath in his throat hitched, and he was off again, running into the very heart of the pandemonium where his house now lay.

_Please be alright… Gods above, please grant me this wish!_

His foot caught onto something across the ground, sending the raccoon sprawling to the ground. Scratches across his arms and chest wept slightly, but he pushed himself off, ignoring any cries that came for help. Slytunkhamen wanted to help, he really did. But his mind was focused on one thing only, and he _needed _to know that they were alright, that nothing had harmed his family.

"Zahra! Kames!"

The house he lived in now came into view, but his feet became almost like leaden weights as he saw the fire had spread to the rooftop. He could hear the groaning of the structure, knowing that it was on its last legs, and could collapse at any moment. But he simply clenched his teeth together, so tightly that his jaw began to ache, and ran blindly forward. His shoulder connected painfully with the wood blocking his path inside. Growling, he continued to slam his shoulder into it, begging for the wood to break, and let him into his burning home. Finally, it gave way, and he pitched forward, falling straight into a puddle.

The warmth of said puddle had him freezing where he was, and he looked down, and saw that his fur was now drenched in blood. _No, no, no, no!_

Smoke had his eyes watering, along with the loud crackling of the flames. They licked upwards, reaching for the heavens, burning through anything they touched like a pair of hungry serpents.

"Zahra! Kames!"

No answer came to his calls, but he crawled forward, ignoring the slithering touch of blood against his fur. A small voice told him that he was much too late, but he ignored it, wanting to see it for his own eyes. The dirt under his fingers, and chest, felt cool against the burning heat. He dragged himself forward, unable to see properly, and coughing as the smoke began to fill his lungs. Slytunkhamen could surely die here, but he, at the very least, wanted to be with his family when he did so.

"Zahra! Kames! Answer me, please!"

Again, no answer came.

Finally, his fingers brushed against something soft, and somewhat cool. His persistence had finally garnered results. He gripped whatever it was, tightly in his paws, and pulled the dead weight towards himself. Before he saw her face, he knew who it was, but Slytunkhamen was still not ready to face the truth of the situation.

Tears welled up in his eyes, as he stared down into the face of his wife. A raccoon, just like he was, the two had met when he was only 15 years old, marrying at the tender age of 16. Tears blurred his vision as he pulled her body closer to him. She almost looked as though she were asleep, with her eyes closed, and her plump lips slightly parted. However, the blood running down her chin, and flowing from the large wound across her midsection, told Slytunkhamen that she had now passed. There was no way she could have survived an attack that had nearly cleaved her in two. The white dress she was wearing had been stained a deep crimson, and her dark hair flowed about her head like halo. To Slytunkhamen, she truly looked like a goddess.

He ignored the smoke that was starting to fill the small room now, and gathered her limp form into his arms, tears falling profusely now. His paw shakily brushed the fur on her cheeks back. "Zahra…"

A loud howl escaped his lungs, as he let out every emotion he was feeling right at that moment free.

Anguish. Rage. Dementia.

_Hate…_

A small voice had his ears perking up, and he blinked away the smoke, and tears, to squint into the darkened room. "K-Kames?"

"Father…"

Still holding his wife close to him, Slytunkhamen crawled through the smoke, towards where his son's voice was now calling for him. He wasn't even sure how his son had escaped the fire, nor the attack, but the raccoon felt immense relief wash over him. He thanked any deity that could hear for sparing his son. "Kames! Do not panic, I am coming!"

The roaring of the flames nearly stole his breath away, but eventually Slytunkhamen came to a small cabinet they had kept in the room, still untouched by the flames, but he could see that wood beginning to blacken. Carefully, he lay his wife back on the cold ground, and coughing, pulled the doors open. His 6 years old son was cowering against the very back of the cabinet, his eyes wide with fear. Sobbing, Kames rushed into Slytunkhamen's arms, who returned the affection with his own sobbing.

"Kames, I cannot believe you are alive!" He pulled back to hold Kames at arms length, quickly checking to see he was unharmed. To Slytunkhamen's immense relief, Kames was perfectly fine, with the exception of some soot, and sweat covering his fur. But he could also see the unbridled fright in his large, green eyes. Despite the imminent idea that the entire ceiling could collapse on them both, Slytunkhamen marvelled at how much Kames looked like his wife. With his large green eyes, light grey fur, and the dark hair atop his head, he was nearly the spitting image of her.

At the very least, Slytunkhamen could have something to remember her by.

Steadying his breath, the raccoon pushed his son towards where he had just come from. "Kames, flee outside. Now. I will follow soon, but leave the city as fast as you can."

"W-What about you?" he asked in a small voice.

"I will find you. I promise, my son."

Kames seemed reluctant to leave, but when he saw that his father was not going to allow arguments, the young raccoon nodded, and crawled back out. Soon enough, his footsteps faded, and Slytunkhamen set to work doing what he had promised himself. He grabbed his wife's body, unwilling to let her burn alone in the home. He crawled towards a small place he knew was hidden away from any prying eyes. Heaving the heavy stone aside, he reached in, and pulled out his tools, the bright gold they were flashing red with flames. The book was next, something that he had taken to writing in when he was younger, chronicling all his thoughts, and various moves into. With his task now done, he pulled his wife's body in his arms, his paws clutching his canes, and book, and then he ran from the house.

Just as he stepped foot outside, something akin to a large creature exhaling burst from inside the home, and he was nearly buffeted off his feet. The ceiling had just collapsed under its own weight behind him.

Ignoring it, Slytunkhamen ran from the chaos towards the outskirts of town, hoping that Kames had escaped. He found his young son sitting under a palm tree, shaking, and frightened beyond belief. But when he saw his father approaching, he leapt to his feet and ran forward, clutching tightly to Slytunkhamen's waist.

He did not a thing to pry the child off, and instead, walked back to where Kames had been sitting, and lay his wife against the tree. Kames looked at Zahra, tears filling his eyes, but Slytunkhamen clutched his son by the shoulders again to face him.

"Listen to me, Kames," the old raccoon said sternly. The tears he had shed, were now long gone, having dried in the flames from before. Something had clicked inside him, and he could no longer feel grief. He knew who had done this, and Slytunkhamen was determined to finish it once and for all. "I want you to take my canes, and book, and run as far as you can from here. Find the next city or town, and stay there until I come and find you."

"Father?" Kames seemed stunned, and his paws only instinctively gripped the twin canes, and book his father shoved into them. "What are you doing? Where are you going?"

Slytunkhamen stood to his full height, his amber gaze focused on a figure in the distant. He could literally feel the eyes on him, and he knew that Ameni was waiting for him. "There is something I must do first. Kames, trust me. I will come find you when I can."

The young coon seemed to understand what his father was asking of him, but he didn't like it at all. Fear coursed through his veins, and his paws shook. His ears had flattened against his skull, and his tail twitched behind him. "B-but, I do not want to separated from you."

"You are a big boy, Kames," Slytunkhamen said curtly. Kames was immediately quailing under the almost hysterical light in his father's amber eyes. It was incredibly uncharacteristic, and Kames wasn't sure he liked it at all. Normally, Slytunkhamen was very carefree, and had loved his son and wife unconditionally. Now though... Something had changed in only a course of an hour or so in the old raccoon. "Go, before I force you to."

Kames held the canes, and book closer to his chest before he took off, his legs carrying him further, and further away from Slytunkhamen. When he looked back after running for who knows how long, both his father and mother were gone. Kames bit his lip, but turned away, doing what his father had asked him to do.

He only hoped that this wasn't the last time he saw his father.

* * *

_He drew her everywhere._

As his feathered hand drew a wide arc, the slight screeching of stone against stone echoing in the cavernous abode he now called home, a smile lit up his face. It was a crude drawing for sure, not as masterful as the hieroglyphs painted in bright colours on palace walls, but for Ameni, it was perfect.

He traced the contours of her face, probing a large finger into the rough texture of the stone.

Refocusing his gaze towards the other parts of his home, Neb-anu's face stared down at him. From the walls, to the ceilings, to the very floor itself, Ameni had spent many waking hours on end, just drawing. He had spent much time filling every surface in the cave with her figure, her face, her name…

Suddenly, something akin to a howl of pure emotion had Ameni's head turning towards the entrance of his cave. A smirk lit up his face, and he leaned out to watch the distant town still burning to the ground. Ameni was not sure how he was able to hear such a thing, but he knew who it was.

_Slytunkhamen…_

His work was certainly to be admired. The smoke rising from the town curled against the blue sky in elegant twirls, and symbols. Fire itself seemed to reach for the heavens, licking against the bright blue skies, and clouds. It was a mighty contrast, and the owl was reminded of a painting. Ameni watched it all, something akin to pride rising up in his chest. He was proud of his work.

As he continued to watch, he saw figures running away like ants from the burning town. Some fled towards the Nile, others into the desert itself where they would surely die. But Ameni didn't care about that.

No, he was waiting for someone else to appear.

And sure enough, he spotted a figure running towards a small cluster of palm trees, and pause there. Something told him it was Slytunkhamen, and even as he continued to watch, he felt eyes on him.

They bore into his figure like knives itself, and he knew then and there.

Slytunkhamen was coming kill him**.**

Surprisingly, he felt no amount of fear.

* * *

"I knew you would one day find me."

Skytunkhamen stopped at the entrance of the cave, his eyes drawn towards the hulking figure of his once friend.

Ameni was crouched against the far end of the stone cave, his feathered hand scribbling away at something on the wall. Soon enough, the raccoon's eyes were pulled towards what was on the wall, and he was shocked to find himself staring at many crude drawings of Neb-anu. The hawk's eyes stared out from every surface of the stone, almost like thousands of tiny stars against the night sky. It sent a shiver up Slytunkhamen's spine, as he could almost feel the hawk's gaze piercing his very being with accusations.

"Then you must know why I am here."

Slowly, the owl turned. His jaundice gaze bore into the raccoon, making him shiver under the intense stare. Over the years, it seemed as though Ameni had grown even more insane. From the way his eyes held a light to them that he could only pinpoint as being hatred itself, to his once groomed, and sleek feathers, now being dirty and messy. Slytunkhamen's scrutiny soon had him seeing the blood clinging to his feathers, almost as if the owl had dyed himself red.

"I do," Ameni answered. His voice, once filled with friendliness, now held nothing. A ringing iciness now took a hold of the owl's tone. "And I must say, I am surprised you came unarmed."

Slytunkhamen paused, and looked down at his paws. They clenched into fists, and he returned the hate filled look that Ameni only reserved for the raccoon. "I do not need tools to kill you. I will rip you limb, from limb, until you know the pain you have caused me today."

A cold laugh escaped from Ameni's beak. "No, my friend. You do not know the pain that _I_ have suffered over these seven years, all alone. You do not know what it is like to wake up, without someone next to you. You do not know the amount of hatred I feel for you, for stealing everything I had ever loved away from me. You are truly a thief."

"You are a fool, Ameni."

The raccoon stepped forward now, completely ignoring the way Ameni's eyes narrowed dangerously. The rationality he'd had before, was now gone like sand in the wind. All he could feel was a seething hatred deep in his chest, causing his vision to redden over, and his body to tense. A small voice suddenly spoke up. _Is this how Ameni has felt all these years?_

Suddenly, something else entirely began to enter his mind. No, he did not really hate Ameni... Did he?

"No, Slytunkhamen," Ameni hissed. His feathers bristled, and his eyes began to light up with such fury that it nearly had the raccoon backing away from the owl, with his tail between his legs. "Do not mock me."

With a sudden flurry of feathers, Ameni was rushing forward to Slytunkhamen, his talons sweeping across in a deadly arc. The raccoon slipped away, rolling to the side. His fur ruffled from the force of wind that the owl had caused in his attack. Using the technique he'd honed over the years, Slytunkhamen melted away from view.

Ameni growled in anger, and he shouted into the seemingly empty cave, "_DO NOT HIDE YOURSELF FROM ME, YOU COWARD!_"

The raccoon snuck up behind Ameni, who was looking around furiously to try and catch the thief. Quiet as death itself, Slytunkhamen picked up a sharpened bone from the cave's floor, and then leapt onto the owl's back. Without giving his enemy a chance to attack, he stabbed the bone straight into the owl's back. Ameni let out a howl of pain, and bucked to try, and throw the raccoon off. But he held on fast, his paws nearly pulling out the feathers from Ameni's back. In desperation, the owl threw himself backwards, slamming Slytunkhamen into the cave's wall. All the air escaped from the thief's lungs in one fell swoop, and his head cracked against the stone loudly. His grip now loosened. Ameni then grabbed the disoriented raccoon by the shoulders, and threw him over his head.

Slytunkhamen skidded hard against the ground, gasping for air, but he rolled out of the way when Ameni's talons cut through the air towards where the raccoon' head had been. Letting out another growl, Ameni turned towards his opponent. The two were breathing hard now, blood leaking from both of their wounds.

The raccoon could feel a gash on the back of his head weeping blood, but he shook his head to clear the black spots, and said, "it seems as though we are evenly matched."

Once again, Ameni's feathers bristled. As he shouted, spittle leaked down from the edges of his beak, and his eyes held such a crazed light that he appeared far from mortal. "_DO NOT COMPARE MYSELF TO YOU!_"

Before Slytunkhamen could react, the large owl was right in front of him, and his talons wrapped around the raccoon's thin chest. It was like a thousand feet of rope had suddenly tightened across Slytunkhamen's chest. He couldn't breathe, and no matter how much he struggled, the grip refused to loosen. The bone he had been using was now gone, and he had no way to attack back. Eerily, the sound of his ribs beginning to groan under the crushing force reached the raccoon's ear. A pop told him that something had broken, and quickly enough, his lungs began to fill with blood.

Grunting, and coughing up crimson, he locked eyes with Ameni.

Amber bore into gold, the two refusing to let their gazes go, until Slytunkhamen let out a yell of pain when Ameni tightened his grip. Another loud crack had the raccoon falling limper in the grip. Suddenly, he was falling to the ground as the owl tossed him down, and then slammed his talons onto Slytunkhamen's chest.

When he opened his eyes, Ameni had leaned down so that they were nearly nose to nose. The crazed grin across the owl's features had Slytunkhamen's eyes widening slightly, fear sending shudders through his broken body.

"How the mighty have fallen," Ameni murmured softly. His talons then began to drag a long, and torturous line from the raccoon's shoulder, to his torso. Blood began to well up from the cut, making Slytunkhamen's gasp in pain, until Ameni did something that had the raccoon's yell of agony echoing throughout the cave.

The talon dug deeply into the raccoon's torso, not unlike how the wound of his late wife's body had been. It started slow, almost at a snail's pace, as Ameni dug the talon deeper, and deeper, and then began to drag it upwards until the very tip met Slytunkhamen's heart.

He knew it was coming.

He knew that this would be the final time he ever drew air into his body.

They both locked eyes once more, as Ameni's grin widened even more.

As he pierced his heart, the raccoon, surprisingly, felt no pain. His senses seemed to be dulling, his hearing now fading into nothingness, his nerves falling numb, and his vision turning slowly black, and white.

The raccoon's once bright, amber eyes were now beginning to dull, the wounds on his body spilling his blood across the dirt floor. He felt weak, and cold. Although the pull for him to give into the darkness was immense, he kept resisting it. Even Slytunkhamen was now sure why. With his vision beginning to darken at the edges, he glanced over at his left paw, the thin scar on his palm standing white, and starke against his grey fur.

* * *

"_Ameni, let us make a blood pact."_

"_What is that?"_

"_It's when we both cut into our palms, and then shake so that our blood mixes. It won't hurt, I promise."_

"_It sounds quite dangerous, Slytunkhamen…"_

"_Trust me, Ameni. It will solidify us as brothers. Nobody else will be connected like you and I."_

"_If it means this much to you, then I will do so… My brother."_

* * *

"Do you remember our pact?" came Slytunkhamen's hoarse voice. A shadowy figure now loomed over him, and he tried to focus on it. The glowing yellow eyes told him that it was Ameni. Weakly, he forced his scarred paw up, and held it up for Ameni to see. "We were _brothers_, Ameni… Please, do not forget that."

Small tears leaked down his eyes, and the dying raccoon tried to smile up at his old friend.

Slytunkhamen knew he was dying, and although he'd been blinded with rage not too long ago, his mind was now clear. He could never hate someone who he'd regarded as a brother before. The two were connected deeply. Yes, he felt bitter, and angry that his wife had died, and that Ameni had defeated him. But something else told him it was all his fault that this had happened.

Now all Ameni knew was hatred, and it was all because of himself.

Then something else crossed his mind. Ameni had sparred Kames. The thief's son was still alive, and relief began to weaken his already spent body even more. Slytunkhamen felt elated, that his son would still live to a healthy old age, without fear that Ameni would go after him. After all, Ameni only felt hate for himself, and not for the rest of his family.

That was one of the few things that still kept him alive at this moment, even as he continued to stare into Ameni's golden eyes.

Ameni glanced down at his own palm, seeing the thin scar on his right hand as well. However, he felt nothing. Absolutely nothing.

"I do not know what you mean, Slytunkhamen."

The raccoon watched as Ameni strode over to a discarded piece of flint, and a torch on the ground. Picking them up, he lit the torch up, and held it right over his palm where the thin scar lay.

"You are now nothing to me."

The overpowering scent of burning feathers, and flesh crept over the dank air in the cave. But Ameni did not bat an eye at the burning sensation in his palm, as the thin scar was now replaced by a much larger burn. Slytunkhamen had no energy to feel appalled, but he did say one last thing before the life slipped through his fingers.

"I'm sorry, my brother."

Silence then fell over the cave, as Ameni threw the torch down, ignoring the pain in his hand. He stepped forward, and looked down at his work, a grin pulling at his beak as he had finally - _finally_ - done away with the person he had hated for all these years. But somehow, Ameni did not feel satisfied. He looked down at his talons, and wings. The blood clinging to them felt warm, and sticky, as he brought his feathered hand forward to stare at it.

It'd been much too easy. And even now, a small thought wondered why Slytunkhamen had come unarmed. The raccoon never went anywhere without his canes.

_Unless…_

Ameni spun around, and stared at Slytunkhamen's body. His eyes were drawn towards the lifeless eyes that the raccoon now possessed. Ameni chuckled. He crouched, and grinned down at Slytunkhamen's body.

"_You have a child, do you not?"_

* * *

**So, here we are. Not much to say, I guess, other than take everything you just read with a grain of salt. I listened to an entirely different song throughout writing this, but didn't feel like giving it a new title. So that's it.**

**Let me all know what you thought!**


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